Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Jsr Corporation

Masaru Iguchi

Nagayuki Kanaoka

Naoki Mitsuta

Hiroshi Sohma

Hiroshi Akita

Hiroyuki Oyanagi

Masao Ichikawa

Hiroshi Soma

Yuichiro Hama

Toshihiro Ohtsuki

Hiromasa Shigeta

Yoichi Asano

Kohei Goto

Ryoichiro Takahashi

Toshihiro Otsuki

Keizo Matsumoto

Junichi Yano

Fusazumi Masaka

Kiyonori Kita

Hiroshi Souma

Hiroshi Morikawa

Yoshitaka Yamakawa

Katsutoshi Nosaki

Toshiaki Kadota

Masahiro Ise

Mayumi Kakuta

Hayato Kaji

Teruaki Komiya

Toshinobu Hata

Teruhiko Umehara

There is provided an electrode structure for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell having excellent power generation performance and excellent durability and a method for manufacturing the same. Also provided is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including the electrode structure and an electrical apparatus and a transport apparatus using the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The electrode structure includes a polymer electrolyte membranesandwiched between a pair of electrode catalyst layers, 1 containing carbon particles supporting catalyst particles. The polymer electrolyte membraneis made of a sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer has an ion exchange capacity in the range of 1.7 to 2.3 meq/g, and the polymer contains a component insoluble in N-methylpyrrolidone in an amount of 70% or less relative to the total amount of the polymer, after the polymer is subjected to heat treatment for exposing it under a constant temperature atmosphere of 12&#xb0; C. for 200 hours. A catalyst paste containing catalyst particles and a polymer electrolyte is coated on a sheet-like supportand dried to form an electrode catalyst layercontaining a solvent in an amount in the range of 0.5% or less by weight of the total membrane. The electrode catalyst layers, 3 are thermally transferred and joined on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane

Electrode structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising sulfonated polyarylene-based polymer and method for manufactuing same

A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell has superior power generation characteristics under low humidity conditions and superior starting characteristics under low temperature conditions. In the membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell in which a polymer electrolyte membrane is disposed between a pair of electrodes containing a catalyst, the polymer electrolyte membrane has a polymer segment A having an ion conductive component and a polymer segment B not having an ion conductive component. Furthermore, in the case in which the polymer electrolyte membrane is immersed in water at 90&#xb0; C. for 30 minutes, absorbed water which exhibits a thawing temperature of from &#x2212;30 to 0&#xb0; C. is in a range from 0.01 to 3.0 g per 1 g of the polymer.

Membrane electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell therewith

A membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells exhibits higher proton conductivity and superior thermal resistance, in which the solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a nitrogen atom and a sulfonic acid group, and a principal chain of a constitutional unit is a phenylene bond, is provided. In particular, the membrane electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells preferably contains the sulfonated polyarylene expressed by the formula (1). 

Membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell

A membrane-electrode assembly having superior hot water resistance has a membrane containing an aromatic polymer having a repeating unit expressed by general formula (1):  in which A represents independently either &#x2014;CO&#x2014; or &#x2014;SO&#x2014;; B represents independently an oxygen atom or sulfur atom; Rto R, which may be identical or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, alkyl group, phenyl group or nitrile group; Rto R, which may be identical or different from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, alkyl group or phenyl group; and 'a' represents an integer of 0 to 4.

Membrane-electrode assemblies are provided having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane that exhibits higher proton conductivity over a wide temperature range, and exhibits superior hot water resistance, chemical stability, toughness and mechanical strength. The membrane-electrode assemblies utilized for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells include an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode disposed on opposite sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane contains a polyarylene copolymer with a specific constitutional unit having a fluorine atom and nitrile group introduced in their principal chains.

Membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell and method of producing the same

A membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, in which a sulfonic acid is an ion exchange group, and the heat resistance is superior, is provided. The membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells contains a polymer including a principal chain that forms polyphenylene structure, a branched chain having a sulfonic acid group, and a branched chain having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group. It is preferred that a branched chain having a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group is a structure expressed by the general formula (D) below. 

Disclosed is a polymer electrolyte having a protonic acid group that is excellent in thermal stability and dimensional stability. The polymer electrolyte includes copolymers having a sulfonic acid group which has a structure represented by the following formula: wherein X is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; Y is an oxygen or a sulfur; Z and Q are each a direct bond, &#x2014;O&#x2014;, &#x2014;S&#x2014;, &#x2014;CO&#x2014;, &#x2014;SO&#x2014;, &#x2014;[C(R')]&#x2014; (g: integer of from 1 to 8), etc.; R, R&#x2032; and Rto Rare each a hydrogen, a fluorine, an alkyl, a fluorine-substituted alkyl, an aryl or a nitrile; m, n, p, q, r, s, t and u are each an integer of from 0 to 4 (with the proviso that p+q&#x2267;1); and A is a group represented by Formula (5) or (5) below: wherein W is a divalent electron-withdrawing group; S is a protonic acid group; i is an integer of from 1 to 5; and j is an integer of from 1 to 7.

Solid polymer electrolyte, proton conductive membrane, electrode electrolyte, electrode paste and membrane-electrode assembly

The present invention provides an electrode structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, inexpensive, and exhibiting excellent power production capacity and durability even under high temperature/low humidity conditions, and also provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which incorporates the same electrode structure. The present invention also provides an electrical device and transportation device, each incorporating the same polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The electrode structure comprises a pair of electrode catalyst layers, each containing a catalyst supported by carbon particles, and polymer electrolyte membraneplaced between these electrode catalyst layers. The polymer electrolyte membraneis of a sulfonated polyarylene composed of 0.5 to 100% by mol of the first repeating unit represented by the general formula (1) and 0 to 99.5% by mol of the second repeating unit represented by the general formula (2): (wherein, A is a divalent organic group; and a benzene ring includes its derivative), (wherein, &#x2014;W&#x2014; is a divalent electron attracting group; -T- is a divalent organic group; and Rto Rare a hydrogen atom or fluorine atom, an alkyl group, fluorine-substituted alkyl group, allyl group, aryl group or cyano group, and may be the same or different).

Electrode structure for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the same

The invention provides a manufacturing process for MEA that enables sufficient bond strength among an electrolyte membrane and electrode substrates even when the electrolyte membrane comprises a heat-resistant material such as an aromatic polymer. The process comprises pressure bonding an electrolyte membrane with catalyzed electrode substrates to form a membrane-electrode assembly, wherein a good solvent for the electrolyte membrane is applied to at least one of facing surfaces of the opposed electrode substrate and the electrolyte membrane prior to the pressure bonding. The electrolyte membrane may comprise a sulfonated aromatic polymer. The good solvent for the electrolyte membrane may be an aprotic dipolar solvent.

Manufacturing process for membrane-electrode assemblies

A solid polymer electrolyte includes a polymer having a sulfonic group and shows high proton conductivity in a wide range of temperatures and humidities and is excellent in hot water resistance and chemical stability. A proton conductive membrane is composed of the electrolyte. The polymer electrolyte includes a polymer having a structural unit represented by the following formula (1a) or (1b): wherein A is a divalent electron-withdrawing group, B is a divalent electron-donating group or a direct bond, Ar is an aromatic group, Z is an oxygen or a sulfur atom, X is a hydrogen or a fluorine atom, j is an integer of 1 or greater, k is an integer of from 1 to 4, l is an integer of from 0 to 10, m is an integer of from 1 to 10, and n is an integer of from 1 to 8.

Polymer electrolyte and proton conductive membrane

Disclosed are a polymer electrolyte having improved hot water resistance and radical resistance, a proton conductive membrane comprising the polymer electrolyte, and a membrane-electrode assembly including the proton conductive membrane. The polymer electrolyte comprises at least one polymer selected from polyether, polyketone, polyetherketone, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyimide, polyetherimide, polybenzimidazole, polybenzothiazole, polybenzoxazole and the like. The polymer comprises a repeating structural unit with either or both of an aromatic ring and a heterocyclic ring, and a repeating structural unit represented by the formula (1): wherein X is a single bond, an electron-withdrawing group or an electron-donating group; R is a single bond, &#x2014;(CH)&#x2014; or &#x2014;(CF)&#x2014; where q ranges from 1 to 10; m is from 0 to 10; k is from 0 to 5; l is from 0 to 4; and k+1&#x2267;1.

Polymer electrolyte, proton conductive membrane and membrane-electrode assembly

Before a phosphoric acid fuel cell generates electric energy, a cathode is supplied with a hydrogen gas (fuel gas) and air (oxygen-containing gas) to cause a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. At this time, the hydrogen and the oxygen are caused to react with each other under a condition in which the concentration of phosphoric acid at the time the amount of water produced by the reaction (liquid water) for reducing the concentration of phosphoric acid and the amount of water evaporated from phosphoric acid are in equilibrium is equal to or greater than a reference phosphoric acid concentration which is capable of keeping the fuel cell at a desired performance level. The temperature of an electrolyte electrode assembly of the fuel cell is increased by the heat which is generated by the reaction.

Method of operating phosphoric acid fuel cell

Described herein is a production method of sulfonated polyarylene that is safe and enables easy control of the amount and position of sulfonic groups introduced in the polymer. The sulfonated polyarylene is also disclosed. The invention further provides a polyarylene and an aromatic sulfonate derivative that are suitably employed in the above production method. Also provided are a macromolecular solid electrolyte that comprises the sulfonated polyarylene, and a proton conductive membrane. The aromatic sulfonate derivative has the following formula (1): wherein X is a halogen atom other than fluorine, a &#x2014;OSOCHgroup or a &#x2014;OSOCFgroup; Y is a divalent organic group; A is &#x2014;(CH)&#x2014; or &#x2014;(CF)&#x2014; (wherein m is an integer of 1 to 10); and R is a Chydrocarbon group. The production method of sulfonated polyarylene comprises coupling polymerization of an aromatic compound that includes at least the aromatic sulfonate derivative of the formula (1) and hydrolysis of the resultant polyarylene.

Aromatic sulfonate derivative, polyarylene, sulfonated polyarylene and production method thereof, macromolecular solid electrolyte, and proton conductive membrane

To provide a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer having improved hot water resistance and radical resistance (durability), a solid polymer electrolyte including the polymer, and a proton-conducting membrane including the electrolyte, the polymer electrolyte includes a sulfonated product of a polymer shown by the following general formula (I):wherein X, Y, and Z are bonded randomly, alternately, or in blocks, y represents an integer of two or more, and each of x and z represents an integer of zero or more, where x+z&#x3e;2.

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Wako, Japan

Masaru Iguchi